Overwhelmed in her grief, Emmeline felt an indescribable loneliness. The tragic
look that overcast her face at this sad time never quite left her through all the
ensuing years, observed Christabel.^12 In the Labour Leader, Keir Hardie offered
comforting words, speaking of the warm sympathy thousands of men and
women felt towards Mrs. Pankhurst and her children. They have the consola-
tion of knowing, he pointed out, that he whom they mourn ‘has left behind a
memory for integrity and courage which is priceless. ... A scholar, a gentleman,
a brilliant conversationalist, a faithful friend, an affectionate father, Dr.
Pankhurst has gone from our midst, and our movement and the world are the
poorer for his loss.’^13 On Saturday 9 July, Emmeline and her children headed
the funeral cortège which left Victoria Park accompanied by a large deputation
from the ILP and a contingent of the Clarion Cycling Club, all wearing white
rosettes. The deputation left the procession at Old Trafford, proceeding by train
to Brooklands Cemetery which the rest of the procession reached at half past
three. After the coffin was lowered into the ground, a number of addresses were
given. Fred Bocklehurst began by saying that, in the absence of a religious
service, he had been asked to say a few words. In his tribute he observed that
Richard Pankhurst had been a student of social questions and an exponent of
the problems they raised, long before it was fashionable to live in the slums and
labour politics became the serious thought of learned men. Alice Cliff
Scatcherd then spoke, emphasising that it would not be fitting that no woman’s
voice should be heard on this occasion. There was no aspect of the women’s
movement in which Dr. Pankhurst had not taken a noble part, she commented,
and the progress that women had made towards freedom was very largely due to
his influence. He had said to her, over and over again that ‘if women did not
protest now they would regret it hereafter, because they would never succeed’.
Women had protested, she insisted, although it appeared hopeless. ‘To those
women who mourn him ... he would always be an inspiring memory’, she
concluded. Leonard Hall and the Rev. T. Horne, a personal friend of the
Pankhursts and chaplain to the Chorlton Workhouse, also gave addresses, as did
Bruce Glasier who had been asked to do so by Emmeline – although Glasier
later privately recorded that he thought the graveside speeches ‘very unsuitable’,
with the exception of his own few ‘simple words’! After the funeral, he called
on Emmeline who expressed anxiety about her future.^14 Keir Hardie was not
there for Emmeline to talk to. He had desperately wanted to attend the funeral
but had to travel to Scotland to console his wife over the recent death of her
mother.^15 Emmeline had the words ‘Faithful and true and my loving comrade’
engraved on Richard’s tombstone; they were words from the poet Walt
Whitman that Richard had frequently read to his family.^16
Emmeline now faced the sad task of issuing through the press warm thanks to
all who had sent her and the children letters of sympathy,^17 as well as writing to
personal friends, such as the Glasiers. On 12 July she wrote on black-bordered
paper to Katherine Glasier, thanking her for her loving words and also
expressing gratitude to her husband. She continued:
WIDOWHOOD AND EMPLOYMENT